A Jump in Doctor Visits and Deaths in Flu Season

[flashl]

Source: NY Times

The current flu season has been more severe than the last three, with more doctor visits and more deaths from flu and pneumonia, federal health officials are reporting.

The season peaked in February, when flulike illnesses accounted for 5.9 percent of doctor visits. Over all, doctor visits for these illnesses were higher than normal for 13 consecutive weeks.

The death rate related to flu and pneumonia was also higher than usual for 13 consecutive weeks; at the worst point, in March, the illnesses were listed as underlying or contributing causes of death in 9.1 percent of deaths. Any rate over 6.9 percent is considered unusually high.

The deaths included 65 children under 18. The youngest was a month old, and the median age was 4.5 years. In each of the three previous flu seasons, 46 to 74 children died.
NY Times

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/health/research/18flu.html?hp

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And, for those who only care about the bottom-line.:

Flu Resurgence Spurs Profit Gains

March 13 (Bloomberg) -- The most severe late-blooming influenza season in a decade is increasing health spending and spurring unexpected earnings growth for flu-remedy makers Roche Holding AG, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and AstraZeneca Plc.
...

The jump in flu cases is happening because this year's vaccine is effective against fewer than half the strains infecting people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. By mid-February, 49 states had "widespread'' seasonal flu cases compared with none at the beginning of the year, the CDC said. Wellpoint Inc., the second- largest U.S. health insurer, said this week that higher flu incidence among the elderly was contributing to a lower 2008 earnings forecast.

[jumptheshadow]

1. This was a very bad season

It was one of the worst flu seasons I've ever seen, with several people I know developing pneumonia, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections. Two young men in my partner's office had flu that degraded into pneumonia. In my office several of us were laid up with flu, bronchitis and respiratory infections. Nearly half the staff was off at some point.

Even worse, there must have been different strains circulating, because several people had the flu twice and even three times this year.

[Clear Blue Sky]

2. The vaccine is created a year ahead based on what is thought to be the strain of flu for the coming

year. Often they are wrong and it's a different strain that the vaccine does nothing for. I still get a shot every year and avoid shaking hands with anyone who has the sniffles or a cough.

[flashl]

7. A recent article suggests a mutant flu virus is in the mix ...

Mutant Flu Virus Is Found That Resists Popular Drug

A small but significant percentage of the main influenza virus causing illness this winter in Europe, Canada and the United States has a mutation that makes it resistant to the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

Scientists said they were surprised by the finding because they had believed that mutations of this type generally made the virus less potent and less easily spread among people. The predominant influenza virus circulating this winter is influenza A/H1N1. The Tamiflu-resistant form of the virus, known as influenza A(H1N1 H274Y), has been found with varying frequency in various areas of four European countries, Canada and the United States.

There are no immediate plans to recommend changes in the use of Tamiflu, which is also known as oseltamivir, officials from the W.H.O. and the United States said in interviews, because the incidence of the mutant virus is still small. Tamiflu is one of the antiviral drugs used to treat influenza in its early stages.

Nevertheless, officials from the W.H.O., a United Nations agency in Geneva, said they were troubled by the discovery.

NYT

[Clear Blue Sky]

10. That's certainly part of the problem.

But making a vaccine to protect against something a year away is tough. Like picking the Super Bowl winner a year ahead.

[madmom]

3. My SO and I both had the upper respiratory infection then turned to viral pneumonia

I missed a week and a half of work, he was "lucky" he was laid off at the time, so still got paid.

[Zuiderelle]

4. I hardly ever get sick, and hate going to the doctor. I was part of that spike last month though.

[kimmerspixelated]

5. This is why I try to keep an almost constant flow of

antioxidants goin' down my throat! We were lucky as a family, this year and didn't get sick at all. But we always have airborne on hand, and other such rmedies, and they seem to work for us, quite well! Especially the child! Still, I will knock on wood!

[Lars39]

6. We drank Russian Tea like it was going out of style.

And since I know someone's going to ask:)

Russian Tea

1/4 cup red hots or other type of cinnamon hard candy
64 oz cranberry juice
1 container frozen orange juice(undiluted)
lemon aid mix for 2 quarts

Melt red hots in 4 cups water.
Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil.

[Bonobo]

8. I had it. Thought I was going to die.

Or at least I was starting to wish I would. It was terrible.

[KitSileya]

9. Perhaps part of it is lacking preventative health care and stress

Due to the economic down-turn, many are probably skipping check-ups and postponing going to the doctor when they do get sick. In addition, I'm sure many have compromised immune systems due to the immense stress people are under. That could exacerbate the situation.